Session: 06-02 Pressure Gain Combustion

Paper Number: 153639

A Comprehensive Thermodynamic Performance Analysis of Gas Turbine Combined Cycles With Rotating Detonation Combustion 

The paper describes a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of the gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) equipped with Rotating Detonation Combustion (RDC). RDC combustors can potentially improve the efficiency of current gas turbines (GTs) through pressure rise in combustion and have recently acquired significant interest due to their continuous detonation and spatio-temporally steadier and uniform outflow compared to other pressure gain combustion (PGC) approaches. However, the complex detonation combustion dynamics in RDC present challenges in its reduced order modelling. The present work investigates the potential of an RDC to improve the efficiency and power output of GTCCs for land-based power generation. RDC is represented by a validated steady-state zero-dimensional model augmented with a constant pressure combustion loss model for real losses. GT cycle with RDC combustor is simulated with realistic component efficiencies at a wide range of practical operating conditions in the WTEMP (Web-based Thermo-Economic Modular Program) software, a modular cycle analysis tool developed at the University of Genova. RDC-GT combined cycle is studied with hydrogen as the fuel using a steam bottoming cycle through three different configurations of heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), namely, one pressure-level without reheat, two pressure-level with reheat and three pressure-level with reheat, to study a wide range of GTCC application. Moreover, the cycle performance is investigated with turbine cooling models that are representative of different cooling technology levels to understand the effect of blade cooling advancements on futuristic RDC cycles. An on-design performance map of efficiency and specific work is presented at a wide range of cycle pressure ratios and turbine inlet temperatures. The study provides a realistic assessment of performance improvements in modern GTCC by implementing RDC and generates design guidelines for maximizing the benefit of the RDC cycle over the conventional GTCC.

Presenting Author: Alessandro Sorce University of Genova

Presenting Author Biography: Abhishek is an aerospace engineer from India. He obtained a Master's in aerospace propulsion from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India, in 2018 and subsequently worked at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore for three years before joining the INSPIRE program at the University of Genoa in January 2022. He has over five years of research experience in the field of gas turbine combustion, emission reduction technologies, laser diagnostics and the design of high-pressure optically accessible test rigs. He is passionate about developing more efficient and clean gas turbine technologies for propulsion and power generation.

Authors:

Abhishek Dubey University of Genova
Gokkul Raj Varatharajulu Purgunan Technical University of Berlin (TUB)
Myles D. Bohon Technical University of Berlin (TUB)
Panagiotis Stathopoulos German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Alessandro Sorce University of Genova